Dispensing container with rotatable closure



Aug. 23, 1949. R. L. HOFFMAN DISPENSING CONTAINER WITH ROTATABLE CLOSURE Filed May 18, 1949 INVENTOR A'ID'TORNEY Patented Aug. 23, 1949 DISPENSING CONTAINER WITH ROTATABL CLOSURE Robert L. Hoffman, Tuckahoe, N. Y.

Application May 18, 1949, Serial No. 93,957

4 Claims. (01. 222-542) This invention deals with dispensing and is especially concerned with an effective and attractive container for dispensing powdered material and of the type disclosed in United States Letters Patent 2,136,795, granted November 15, 1938, wherein a rotatable closure is retained on a disc bearing and against an inwardly overhanging bead defining an annular rim at the upper part of the container. In this type of construction the rotatable closure is at a level below the circumferential beaded rim and defines therewith a relatively deep recess which in actual practice easily collects dirt and dust. The purpose of the invention is to eliminate this undesirable feature in the provision of a rotatable closure maintained in contiguous and flush relation with the inwardly overhanging beaded rim of the container. Another important aspect of the invention is realized in the provision of a closure of the character alluded to which is inverted dish shaped for nesting and receiving an upstanding laminated boss of the disc bearing or closure supporting member which serves to rotatably guide the closure relative to the container. Another distinctive feature resides in the provision of an annular but laterally extending lip at the lower part of the closure for cooperating with the inwardly overhanging rim of the container to automatically set the perforated dispensing wall of the closure to be flush with or at the same elevation as the rim upon insertion of the closure carrying disc bearing within the container and upon shifting thereof towards the rim. Another salient advantage resides in sustaining a sleeve within the container against longitudinal displacement to positively preclude accidental downward slippage of the closure carrying bearing for effectively holding the latter in a nested or telescoped relation with the closure and the latter in part contiguous to and in part against the inwardly overhanging bead. Other important functional and structural advantages will appear from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the container according to one embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an exploded view of Fi 1.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the container on a smaller scale, and

Fig. 5 is a front elevational and partly sectional view of a slightly modified container.

Illustrative of the embodiments disclosed, the

2 container according to the form illustrated in Figs. 1-4 is broadly denoted C embodying the cylindrical tubular casing or member CS, the inner telescoped tube or cylindrical sleeve S, the closure supporting disc bearing B, and the rotatable closure CL.

The closure supporting diaphragm or disc bearing B is laminated and comprises the lower primary disc PD of a diameter closely approximating the internal diameter of the casing CS to snugly and frictionally coact therewith but larger in diameter than the external diameter of the sleeve S. Also forming a part of the closure supporting bearing B are the superimposed secondary discs SD which are appropriately secured together. The secondary discs SD are smaller in diameter than the primary disc PD and concentrically disposed thereon however with the lower secondary disc effectively secured thereto, the arrangement being such that the anchored superimposed discs SD constitute a circular laminated boss. The circular felt pad FD is effectively glued or stapled to the upper disc SD and is provided with opening Ill registering with the alined openings or bores ll of the superimposed discs SD and the opening [2 of the primary disc PD.

Rotatable relative to the laminated closure positioning and carrying member or disc bearing B is the one piece closure or inverted dish shaped cap CL provided with a top horizontal circular wall [4 having the dispensing perforations [5 adapted to be moved into or out of alinement with alined bores or openings I0, II and [2 in communication with the interior of sleeve S in which powdered material is adequately stored.

Closure or cap CL embodies the depending annular member or skirt [6 closely and rotatably surrounding the laminated boss constituted by the secondary superimposed discs SD and felt disc FD. Extending laterally of the lower part of skirt I6 is the annular lip l! rotatably seated on the outer margin or shoulder of the primary disc PD which characterizes a bearing.

With the closure CL mounted on the closure supporting member B as described, it is rotatably retained in place against the lower portion 18 of the inwardly overhanging bead is which is formed by rolling the upper margin of the cylindrical casing C, thereby constituting an inwardly overhanging rim which characterizes annular stop means cooperating with the laterally extending annular lip I! of the closure or cap C'L to automatically aline the outside top and perforated surface of wall l4 to be flush with the top surface of the annular bead I 9. It will be observed that the outside annular face of the depending skirt l6 of the cap CL and the inside annular face of the inwardly overhanging bead I9 are contiguously disposed or in close juxtaposition to preclude the formation of relatively deep dust collecting crevices.

To facilitate rotation of the closure CL relative to the felt disc FD of the closure supporting or carrying bearing member B, this closure includes the upstanding diametrically disposed easily accessible rib R for quickly setting top wall I4 to register perforations IS with the alinedv openings or bores II], II and [2.

With the closure CL mounted on the positioning and guide disc bearing B the latter is inserted into the casing or member 08- through the open bottom thereof and moved inwardly until annular lip I! meets the lower stop portion [8 of annular beaded rim I9. By this action skirt It is closely but rotatably confined within the circular opening of rim l9 and th apertured wall 14 thereof fully covers this opening and is lined up to be flush with the rim. Disc PD of the laminated bearing B frictionally and snugly cooperates with the inner wall constituting the bore of easing CS. Thus the bearing B is maintained in an elevated and nested relation with closure CL. If desired and to prevent accidental downward slippage of the bearing B away from the closure and the latter away from the annular rim l9, the cylindrical sleeve is inserted within casing CS thereby serving as supplementary means to hold the bearing nestedwith the closure and the latter contiguous and rotatable relative to the inwardly overhanging rim l9.

As an alternative method of assembling, the closure CL may first be inserted into the casing CS through the open bottom of the latter to project the depending annular skirt [6 of the cap closely within the circular opening of the inwardly overhanging bead I9. Thereafter the closure supporting member B is inserted into the sleeve 8' likewise through the bottom of the casing and forced towards closure CL. Thus the laminated boss of the closure supporting member B is telescoped or nested within the closure CL. Subsequently sleeve S is inserted within the casing and moved against the fri-ctionally held primary disc PD, thus driving annular lip I"! against the in- Wardly overhanging bead [9 to automatically arrange the top fiat horizontal outer wall 14 of the closure CL to be flush with the upper face of annular bead l9.

Pursuant toassembly of the casing, closure and bearing, the casing is appropriately filled through the open bottom thereof and thereafter adequately sealed by the closure disc Zll which is arranged against the lower end of sleeve S and held thereto by the inwardly turned lower annular bead 2|. By this arrangement the sleeve is held against longitudinal displacement and the bearing B is positively held telescoped within the closure CL and the latter within the upper beaded rim l9. In actual practice the casing has applied thereto a suitable thin covering 22' carrying appropriate display and advertising.

In the form according to Fig. 5,. the sleeve S of Figs. 1-4 is omitted and the annulus or band of' cylindrical cap CP'embodies the inwardly over- 4 tal downward displacement of laminated bearing B the latter may be seated against the open top portion of the cylindrical casing CS which if desired may be permanently secured to the cap. With the cap carrying the closure CL and bearing B, it may conveniently receive the upper part of the casing CS which in fact may be considered as a sleeve or tubular means to more positively sustain the bearing B against downward displacement. To the outside surface of the cap CP' an attractive wrapper or thin covering W is secured. In other aspects, the form according to Fig. 5 is along the lines shown and described in connection with the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1-4 although in Fig. 5 corresponding parts have been primed.

Various changes may be made in details of construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof inherent therein.

I claim:

I. In a container, a tubular member having an upper portion provided with an inwardly overhanging annular bead defining an opening, a disc bearing independent of, within and surrounded by said member and having an upstanding cylindrical boss, a rotatable closure mounted on said bearing comprising a top 'wall within and covering said opening and substantially flush with the top face of said bead and including a depending annular skirt receiving and rotatably guided on said boss and interposed between the latter and said bead and having a laterally extending lip rotatably interposed between said bearing and said bead, and means for retaining said bearing within said tubular member and against said lip.

2. In a dispensing container, a tubular casing having an upper portion provided with an inwardly overhanging bead defining an annular rim, a disc bearing within and closely surrounded by but independent of said casing and having an upstanding concentrically arranged cylindrical boss, a rotatable inverted dish shaped closure mounted on said bearing comprising a top wall within and substantially flush with the top face of' said rim and provided with a perforated portion, an annular skirt depending from said wall and receiving and rotatably guided on said boss and interposed between the latter and said rim and having a laterally extending annular lip rotatably interposed between said bearing and said rim, a felt pad carried by said boss and having a bore, a sleeve retained within and closely surrounded by said-casing for maintaining said bearing against said lip and the latter against said rim, said boss and bearing having alined openings in communication with the interior of said casing and said bore. and manipulator means carried by said wall to facilitate positioning of said perforated portion into and out of registration with said aligned openings and bore.

3. In a container, a tubular member having an upper portion provided with an inwardly overhanging annular bead defining a circular opening, a cylindrical disc bearing within and closely surrounded by but independent of said member and having a concentrically arranged boss, an inverted dish shaped rotatable closure mounted on said bearing comprising-a top circular wall at the top elevation of said head and substantially flush with the top face of said bead for covering said opening and including a depending annular skirt receiving and rotatably guided on said boss and interposed between the latter and said bead and having a laterally extending annular lip rotatably interposed between said bearing and said bead, and cylindrical means within and closely surrounded by said member for maintaining said bearing against said lip and the latter against said bead.

4. In a dispensing container, a tubular cap having an upper portion provided with an inwardly overhanging annular bead constituting a circular opening, a disc bearing within and closely surrounded by but independent of said cap and having an upstanding concentrically arranged cylindrical boss, a rotatable inverted dish shaped closure within said cap and comprising a top circular wall for covering said opening and substantially flush with the top surface of said head and provided with a perforated portion, an annular skirt depending from said wall and receiving and rotatably guided on said boss and interposed between the latter and said bead and having a laterally extending annular lip rotatably interposed between said bearing and said bead, a felt pad carried by said boss and having a bore, said boss and bearing having alined openings in communication with the interior of said cap and 6 said bore, means for retaining said bearing within said cap and against said lip, and manipulator means carried by said wall to facilitate positioning of said perforated portion into and out of registration with said alined openings and bore.

ROBERT L. HOFFMAN. REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 

